McAtamney nets another hat-trick as U16s hit the top

Banbridge Town Juniors U16 Lisburn League team moved three points clear at the top of the table with a thumping 5-1 win against Midway at Havelock Park on Saturday morning.

Having lost twice this season already to the Newry outfit, the Town were determined to put one over on their title rivals.

Banbridge Town Juniors left-back William Irwin turns a Midway player.

The Juniors produced their best opening 20 minutes of football this season when they absolutely blitzed the opposition and raced into a 4-0 lead.

McAtamney opened the scoring after a neat one two with McKibbon to continue his rich vein of form.

On ten minutes, he coolly dispatched another penalty, his fourth in two weeks, when McKibbon was impeded in the box to make it 2-0 and leave Midway shell-shocked.

Ruthless McAtamney then went on to achieve his second hat-trick in two weeks, when he unleashed an unstoppable screamer from 30 yards, high into the roof of the net to put the Town three up and coasting.

With only 20 minutes gone, Houston kept up his fine form and scoring tally from midfield, finishing to the bottom corner from the right side and effectively ending the game as a contest.

Midway did manage to claw one back on the stroke of half-time but the Town were well satisfied with their first half demolition job leading 4-1 at the interval.

With manager Scappaticci ringing the changes at half-time, the second half was a more evenly balanced contest with Midway upping their game to avoid an embarrassing heavy defeat.

The Juniors did go close on a number of occasions with Byrne proving a menace all game to the Midway rear-guard.

Fearon got his name once again on the score sheet in the dying minutes, finishing from close range to make it 5-1 following good work from McKibbon down the right.

This win takes the Juniors three points clear at the top having only lost once in the their last 13 league games. If they can continue this form, they will be thereabouts when the trophies are being handed out at the end of the season.